Rudi Sodamin — How He Became a Leading Chef
We all find inspiration in different places. Some find it in the rising sun, some find it in the sand, and some find it within themselves. However, it’s the stories that we hear that prove to be most inspiring. Men and women who battle insurmountable odds are often a source of interest, and keep people intrigued for longhouses. There are countless people that you will meet in your life who don’t settle at anything, who always want more, and those who are willing to give it their all to get what they want. They say that if you want to succeed, you should turn your passion into your job. And, men like Rudi Sodamin have done just that.
Rudi Sodamin was born to a family of ten kids. He was part of triplets born in the Sodamin family. Considering the fact that the Sodamins had ten kids, it was obviously difficult for the mother to be able to cater to each child. As a result, preparing food was often a major problem. From a very early age, Rudi began to find an interest in cooking. As a child, he would often spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, watching his mother cook for long hours. The mother obviously needed all the help she could get in order to prepare food for ten hungry kids.
As a result, she would often allow Sodamin to participate in the cooking process. This helped sow the seeds and allowed Sodamin to understand exactly how the cooking process worked. He began to experiment, and at the tender age of 13, he was preparing meals for the entire family. He soon became popular amongst his neighbors for his cooking, and by 14, was cooking regularly at home. He then traveled extensively throughout Europe, working in parts of Switzerland and even in Paris. This helped him hone his culinary skills and he began to understand how international cuisine differs from the dishes that he used to make at home.
By 23, he was hired as a chef on the Vistafjord, a famous cruise liner. He even worked with the Royal Caribbean Line and Cunard. At the moment, he is serving as the Master Chef for the Holland American Line and is also the chairman of the Culinary Council. He oversees 15 ships over 7 continents and definitely has his hands full.
However, Rudi didn’t let his job stop him. He has a passion for food, and that’s why he also started his own restaurant, known as Rudi’s Sel de Mer. It’s a neat little joint that serves some of his favorite dishes. While Rudi isn’t present all the time at the restaurant, he makes sure that he oversees the operations and the food. If there’s any issue, he’s the first one to address the issue. Apart from that, Rudi has also published a wide range of cookbooks, talking about his experiences and publishing unique recipes that he uses.
